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The expedition back to Madrid left Prat before ever, due to the security measures that the classic entailed. Only one player, Casemiro , passed through the mixed zone, and the showers were faster than ever. On the plane, the anger with the referee went off when he saw the repetitions of the fouls on Varane , while there was still a bitterness for the missed opportunity.

"They do have us like that, they beat us," they lamented in the high command of the club, with injuries from Barça in recent memory. Zidane's team left in pain for not taking advantage of the domain. He also wore in the house where they made world flag of touch, possession and colorful football, sometimes despising more direct and winning formulas.

The classic numbers were a good summary: 11 shots (for five of Barça), 32 arrivals to the area, 55 steals ... However, Real Madrid did not pass the draw, in a line that begins to be chronic in its takeoff of the last times. It happened in the Wanda derby, before PSG at home, in Mestalla on Sunday and at Camp Nou on Wednesday. Solvents presentations, happy play times, owner of the ball, but without the necessary edge to knock down rival rivals.

Nothing has to do, it is fair to remember, this version to the one shown at the beginning of the course. "In recent games we have shown that we are growing and playing at a great level," says Casemiro. The languid, decadent image vanished in Istanbul, starring since then a remarkable improvement.

Exchange from Istanbul

Zinedine Zidane activated the locker room, got his players to recover the form and gave the necessary tactical brushstrokes . The commitment to strengthen the spinal cord, at the cost of filing the lead, has given life to Courtois, greatly reduced in slaughter. At times, especially when Rodrygo is there, Madrid attacks or defends with up to five midfielders, all of them quality.

In the analysis of the coaching staff and in the club there is no reproach for the center forward, with some records of Benzema record for him ( 16 points ). The problem comes around, where there are missing scoring partners. They fear in Madrid that it is very difficult to reach spring in the fight if someone else does not join the work. With Hazard and Asensio injured and before the drought of Bale (only two targets), beyond its correct classic, it is difficult to find the mordant, in the absence of Rodrygo and, above all, Vinicius grow before the goal. From Kroos or Modric it is difficult to expect a change in trend now, but there is confidence in pieces like Valverde. «Player with eight goals per season», his mentors predict.

A different suit club

«If we lose, we will continue to be the best team in the world. If we win, we will be eternal ». This is how Pep Guardiola said goodbye to his men just before facing the final of the Club World Cup on December 19, 2009 in the desert of Abu Dhabi. It was the day that Pedro rescued Barça when the party agonized, and Messi scored with the shield in extra time. But, above all, it was the day that Pep Guardiola began to cry on the grass before an unprecedented feat, the six titles in a year of his team.

Ten years have passed and Ernesto Valverde, after the last and disappointing zero draw against Real Madrid, offered his particular diagnosis: "This is normal."

Let's see. Real Madrid finished in the first half up to 12 times the goal of Barcelona, ​​a harassment that the Catalans endured on the shoulders of Piqué, Lenglet and Ter Stegen. Its two centrals and the goalkeeper. Up to 30 times the Barça defenders cleared the ball in the area.

Barcelona, ​​throughout the night, was only able to steal the ball five times in a rival field. Thus, it was not surprising that Valverde's only committed five fouls in 90 minutes, by 17 of the whites. And, most worrisome, Barca barely managed to complete 77 passes in the last third of the field.

No pressure response

Beyond statistics, always ready to charge one of reasons - but also to deny them - there is no better thermometer for Barcelona de Valverde than the weight of its players. When Real Madrid tightened, in the middle of the first act, Piqué exhibited his despair before the whole world begging his companions, buried in their own area, to move forward.

That image allowed to look back. Specifically to the classic of April 27, 2011 at the Bernabéu (0-2), in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals that Barca would conquer at Wembley. Then it was Cristiano who was desperate for the approach of José Mourinho and who shouted to his companions to leave the catacombs. An act of faith.

Valverde's Barcelona has no mystery. He does not defend with the ball. He is unable to control the game before the null presence of his midfielders. De Jong can only see the bullets pass in each kickback. Without connectors, Griezmann defends more than attacks. While Luis Suarez and Messi , always off the hook and without direct involvement in the pressure, live pending open-field running. There is no aesthetic to brag about. And when the punch fails, neither the screen of the results cover the shame. The Barca club honored the 2009 hexacampeón team through a video posted on their social networks. Without a trace of Guardiola .

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  • Real Madrid
  • Pep Guardiola
  • Zinedine Zidane
  • Thibaut Courtois
  • Eden Hazard
  • Ernesto Valverde
  • Gareth Bale
  • Jose Mourinho
  • Luis Suarez
  • Luka modric
  • sports
  • FC Barcelona

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